John Deere’s Load Command: A Quick Fill

In the ever-busy world of ag retail, time is a very precious commodity. Particu­larly, custom applicators are always on the lookout for ways to gain more time efficiency from their days.

Enter John Deere. The ag equipment giant has just introduced its new Load Command System to the market. Debuting at the Midwest AG Industries Exposition trade show in late August, Load Command allows users to load a 1,200-gallon self-propelled sprayer in approximately three minutes. This compares to a traditional fill time of 12 to 15 minutes.

“Load Command is an industry first,” says Cory Venable, product manager for the company’s Des Moines Works. “The Load Command System simplifies the loading process and helps operators manage the heavy and bulky tendering hose during the refill process. This allows operators to cover more acres per day.”

Just Pull Up

With the Load Command System, an operator drives the sprayer close to the tendering vehicle and exits the machine. A swing arm that holds the tendering hose is mounted to the tendering vehicle. The operator extends the tendering arm and connects its coupler to the coupler that’s mounted to the front of the 4930 sprayer.

Once connected, sensors activate the loading process. This allows operators to return to the sprayer cab while the tank is being refilled. Once the tank is full, the system automatically stops the loading process and disengages the coupler. The operator can then back the sprayer away from the tendering arm and return to application work.

According to Venable, Load Command enhances the three-season capability of the 4930 sprayer because it allows applicators to apply both wet and dry products year-round with one chassis. This is particularly useful when refilling the tank with liquid nitrogen, when a 10-foot hose filled with this product can weigh approximately 200 pounds.

“During a typical workday, a custom applicator could use a 4930 sprayer to apply more than 40,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer,” he says. “That means they’d stop to reload 33 times. If they can decrease their load time from a typical 12 to 15 minutes down to about three minutes with Load Command, the applicator’s productivity is greatly enhanced. Our factory tests show a potential productivity gain of up to 40% for customers who use a 4930 sprayer equipped with Load Command.”

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